Southampton: Transport plan scaled down due to 'inflation'

The initial plans for the pedestrianisation of Civic Centre Place have been scaled back

Key elements of a major transport plan are set to be scrapped as they have become unaffordable due to "unprecedented inflation".

The pedestrianisation of the area outside the civic centre in Southampton as well as changes to a number of roads are no longer expected to go ahead.

New plans set to be funded by the government have been tabled instead.

It comes after almost two years of political wrangling between the Labour and Conservative council groups.

The initial plans were put forward by the Labour administration on Southampton City Council in February 2021.

The Conservatives, which took control of the council later that year, tried to amend the plans to remove through traffic restrictions.

But their proposals did not satisfy the Department for Transport (DfT) which gave the authority "one more chance" to submit new plans, according to an official report.

"Alternatively, £12.3m of grant funding would not be awarded," the report said.

Revised plans were put forward earlier this year by the new Labour administration elected in May and government funding has since been secured.

But the proposals no longer include the original public realm improvements at Civic Centre Place and the associated through traffic restrictions on New Road.

According to official documents, these changes had become unaffordable "due to the unprecedented inflation over the preceding year".

Latest plans

Proposals in the latest plans:

• New pedestrian and cycle crossings at the junctions of Civic Centre Road with Havelock Road and Portland Terrace, instead of the large-scale pedestrianisation initially proposed

• Reduction of traffic lanes on Portland Terrace to make way for a new cycle lane.

• Closure of Portland Terrace to through traffic

• Closure of Devonshire Road

• Restrictions to through traffic on East Park Terrace, between Charlotte Place and New Road

• New bus hub at Albion Place car park

• Extension of existing bus lanes on New Road. This would replace previously proposed restrictions in Saltmarsh Road, Canute Road, Queensway, Palmerston Road, High Street

• Plans for through traffic restrictions on New Road and changes at the Six Dials junction have instead been scrapped

Conservative councillor Jeremy Moulton, former cabinet member for transport, said his administration was particularly concerned about the initial plans to close New Road to through traffic and had negotiated for changes with the government.

"These were tough discussions but at the point of the election in May we were within a hair's breadth of an agreement. There was no realistic prospect of funds being withdrawn at this stage," he added.

Current Labour council leader Satvir Kaur said losing government funding "would have been a disaster".

She said the new plans would allow residents to be better connected, celebrate the city's heritage and create more green spaces.

The proposals were expected to get the final approval by full council on 14 September, but the meeting was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

A new full council meeting is set to be held on 16 November.

The new bus hub at Albion Place car park on Portland Terrace would have more bus stops, waiting facilities and e-scooters